Sometimes the actual hands on way of film processing can be a more satisfying experince than sitting behind a computer and printer. To actually watch a photo appear as it's developing and decide when you feel its where it needs to be, is a moment like no other.

To truly learn the art, history and true meaning of photography you have to start with film photography. I started a darkroom in my own high school and after I left there was no one else to teach the art, so they done away with the darkroom. You can't learn photography any other way.

I recently completed school for photography and with out working in a dark room I feel you don't get the full appreciation or understanding for photography, with out it how do you expect to become the best photographer you could possbily be?, it makes everything come together and complete.

I believe you should learn about film first and study the works of the "Old Masters." It seems, everyone with a digital camera thinks that they are professional photographers. It is far to easy to delete your mistakes instead of learning from them. I can fix it in the computer, is what a lot of digital shooters think. Like they say "GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT."

I am a novice in Photography, but I did take a photography course and loved it. It was still photography using film, f-stops, the whole nine yards, all manual. They want you to think about what your doing when your making photo, I don't think you learn the "art" of photography through digital, if you don't like what you see, you can just manipulate it. That doesn't create the passion behind photograhphy, in my opinion.

Light still must bounce off your subject, pass through your lens, and strike the light-sensitive portion of the camera. Digital photography adds to that things like white balance, color management, and workflow.

I think the basics are always important. Like teaching how to use a calculater. Kids should know how to multiply first. Knowing the basics allows you more freedom to explore new venues and ways of doing things.

Both aspects need to be taught, because both are widely used. A student attending a photography class has the right to learn how to create pictures in a darkroom as well as on a computer. Neither should be taken away from students....they need to learn both forms of photography!

Learning by shooting film is the best teacher about seeing light and understanding how it to capture your vision. Digital is great because it frees us up to be more creative, but it is the basics learned from shooting film that translate into good digital photos.

I feel that learning film photography makes you a much stronger photographer - period. Don't get me wrong, I think digital is a great thing. It is bringing the joy of photography back to the masses. But unfortunately, digital encourages a hit or miss type of attitude. Newbies aren't required to learn about composition, lighting, contrast, selective focus, etc. The attitude is just shoot away and either take the best or fix things in Photoshop. I love the digital and software tools of today, but I fear that we will lose the understanding of photography in another decade.